Mihlali Ndamase: Biography, Age, Mother, Sister, Ex, Boyfriend

Mihlali Ndamase (born 29 November 1996) is a South African internet personality, beauty influencer, digital content creator, makeup artist, and entrepreneur.

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Ndamase has collaborated with top brands, including MAC Cosmetics and Urban Decay. She co-founded the nonprofit organization Siyasizana Foundation in 2017.

Mihlali Ndamase
Mihlali Ndamase remains a leading figure in Africa’s fashion and beauty sectors.
Quick Facts
Name:	Mihlali Ndamase
Born:	29 November 1996 (age 29 years old)
Place of birth:	Kokstad, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Nationality:	South African
Education:	Strategic Brand Communications
Alma mater:	Vega School
Occupation:	Beauty influencer, digital content creator, makeup artist, entrepreneur
Partner:	Leeroy Sidambe (ex.)
Parents:	Pumla Ndamase Tshitende (mother)
Siblings:	Buima (sister)

Early Life

Mihlali Ndamase was born on 29 November 1996 in Kokstad, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Her parents got divorced. She grew up with her mother, Pumla Ndamase Tshitende, grandmother, and aunt in Kokstad.

Her mother, who is a fashion designer and stylist, and her grandmother have been her inspiration. While in high school, she sold jewelry to her peers.

Education

Mihlali attended an all-girls boarding school in Pietermaritzburg. She earned a certification in makeup artistry from the Leaders in the Science of Fashion (LISOF). She also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Strategic Brand Communications from Vega School.

Career

Mihlali launched her YouTube channel in 2016. She has been watching beauty blogs since she was 15, which also motivated her to start her own channel.

She shot to fame for her expert makeup tutorial videos. She also shares her knowledge in skincare, makeup, and beauty. She had faced discouragement from people who thought it was not sustainable when she wanted to venture into the beauty industry.

Mihlali has collaborated with MAC Cosmetics, Urban Decay, Benefit Cosmetics, and NYX Professional Make-up. She has also collaborated with the global technology brand Samsung and fashion brand Aldo!

Mihlali has also made television appearances. In 2022, she made a cameo appearance in the soap opera Generations: The Legacy. She has also appeared on Showmax’s “Unfollowed”, E! VIP Africa”, The Lite Show”, Netflix’s Savage Beauty, and the Christmas movie “Boxing Day”.

She was named one of the most paid beauty influencers by the UK-based media house Hopper HQ. She charged R25,000 per Instagram post.

Mihlali is the co-founder of the non-profit organization, Siyasizana Foundation. She was recognized on the Forbes Africa “30 Under 30” list (Class of 2021). She has worked with international beauty brands like Be Beautiful Hair.

She was named both the Influencer of the Year and the Best Beauty Influencer at the 2019 Cosmopolitan South Africa Influencer Awards. She was also the recipient of the Cosmo Influencer of the Year Sparkle Award in 2019.

Ndamase was crowned Socialite of the Year at the 2019 Feather Awards. She also received the Next Big Thing Award at the 2019 South African Style Awards.

She has launched her own luxury boutique, Treasury, at The Marc in Sandton, Johannesburg, and is the CEO of Malakyt. She announced she will be a guest presenter at the TikTok Awards Sub-Saharan Africa in 2025.

Mihlali hosted her renowned Beauty and the Beat makeup masterclass at the Southern Sun Rosebank in Johannesburg in 2025.

Personal Life

Mihlali Ndamase was previously in a relationship with Leeroy Sidambe. The duo met on a video call when a woman from Ndamase’s hometown, who was friends with Sidambe, connected them.

The duo later went on their first date at a restaurant in Cape Town. They attended the Floyd Mayweather banquet dinner at Sandton Convention Centre in July 2023. They are no longer together.

Her father, who was a doctor, passed away after taking his own life in 2018. She got a tattoo on the back of her ear to commemorate his memory. She has a younger sister named Buima, also known by the nickname “Miss B”.

Mihlali Ndamase released a formal public statement detailing a campaign of harassment and stalking by married businessman Michael Brits in January 2026. She claimed it began after she rejected his romantic advances.